NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2015

Kraemer Andrew C, Ames IA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2015, Research Using Biological Collections. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow to take transformative approaches to grand challenges in biology that employ biological collections in highly innovative ways. The title of the research plan for this fellowship to Dr. Andrew C. Kraemer is "The loss of ecological, morphological, and phylogenetic heritage: extinction in Pacific land snail radiations." The host institution for this fellowship is the University of Idaho, and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Christine Parent. Human activity and natural events alter ecosystems around the world, leading to the decline and extinction of many species. The fellowship research addresses two critical questions: 1) how much ecological or morphological diversity is lost during modern extinctions, and 2) is it possible to predict a species' likelihood of extinction from its ecology or morphology? The land snails of Galapagos (Naesiotus) and Hawaii (Achatinellinae) are major lineages (each with 80-100 species). Unfortunately, both groups have recently suffered major declines with the loss of between 20 and 75% of the known species diversity. The ecology and morphology of Naesiotus and Achatinelline species, both living and extinct, are being quantified from specimens housed in the collections of three U.S. museums (the California Academy of Sciences, CAS; National Museum of Natural History, NMNH; and Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, BPBM). Pairing these datasets with newly expanded molecular phylogenies promises a more nuanced characterization of the link between environment, phenotype (shell size, shape, color, and color patterning), and extinction within a comparative analytical framework. The best way to avoid future extinctions and protect our natural resources and biological heritage is to understand how human activity leads to extinction and loss of diversity. Training goals for the Fellow include developing domestic and foreign collaborations and gaining expertise in conservation biology and phylogenetic comparative analyses. Public outreach includes partnering with major museums to illustrate the diversity lost through modern extinctions and broadly disseminating information through the Galapagos National Park and the non-profit group Island Conservation (www.islandconservation.org) as well as an online guide to Pacific land snails available to teachers for evolutionary ecology and conservation classes. Finally, by characterizing the decline of two charismatic faunas and the processes likely responsible for those declines, future conservation efforts can be directed in regions rich in biological heritage, i.e., the Galapagos archipelago and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.